Thomas C. Devin

December 10, 1822 - April 4, 1878

from The New York Times, April 5, 1878:

OBITUARY.
GEN. THOMAS C. DEVIN.
Gen. Thomas C. Devin, Colonel command-
ing the Third Regiment of Cavalry, died at his resi-
dence, No. 219 East Forty-ninth-street yester-
day morning. His death was due to a compli-
cation of disorders caused by exposure and im-
proper food during a long period of hard service in
Arizona Territory, while holding the rank of Lieu-
tenant-Colonel of the Eighth Cavalry. About
eight months ago he was promoted to the
command of the Third Regiment, and was
granted five months leave of absence. He left
this City to return to his post at Fort Laramie on
Nov. 28 last, and on Feb. 21 he was compelled to
ask a "sick leave of absence." After returning
home, he was confined to his bed and never recov-
ered. Gen. Devin was born in this City on Dec. 10
1822, and received his education in the public schools.
He learned the painter's trade, and followed that
avocation until the breaking out of the re-
bellion in 1861. He had always had an admi-
ration for a soldier's life, and held a commission as
Lieutenant-Colonel of the First Cavalry, National
Guard of this State, at that time. He went to the
field at the head of a detachment of 800 men.
On June 26, 1862, his regiment joined the Army of
the Potomac, and performed picket duty along the
Rappahannock and in the Shenandoah Valley for
several months. In the Fall of 1862, when the
cavalry corps was formed, Gen. Devin was placed in
command of the Second Brigade, First Division.
Shortly after the battle of Cedar Creek, in the Au-
tumn of 1864, he was promoted to Brigadier-General. In
the Spring of 1865 he was placed in command of
the First Division, and at the Battle of Five Forks
his division was foremost. His cavalry dismounted,
charged upon the enemy, and captured their guns.
For this brave service Gen. Sheridan presented a
handsome silk flag to the division, upon which were
arranged representations of five forks, with five
prongs each, in the form of a star. During the war
Gen. Devin participated in 72 battles. Soon after
the close of the war, Gen. Devin, Gen. Merrit, and
Gen. Custer were commissioned Lieutenant-Colonels
in the regular Army, and the former was assigned to
duty with the Eigth Cavalry, which was then
stationed in Arizona Territory. Although there was
considerable jealousy engendered in some quarters
immediately after the war through the acts of the
Government in promoting volunteer officers to the
regular service, no such feeling was ever manifested
toward Gen. Devin from the fact that it was gener-
ally conceded that he had nobly earned his promo-
tion. He leaves a wife and one child--a daughter.
His funeral will take place to-morrow at St. Francis
Xavier's Church, West Sixteenth-street, at 10 A.M.
The military order, Loyal Legion of the
United States, of which he was a mem-
ber, will attend the funeral in a body.
At a meeting of this organization at Delmonico's on
Wednesday night, a committee of three, comprising
Col. H.M. Porter, Commander Ransom and Chap-
lain Ferris, was appointed to visit Gen. Devin, yes-
terday, but it was not expected that his death was
so near at hand. Chaplain Ferris called in the morn-
ing just before the death of his old comrade. The
other members of the committee visited the residence
of the deceased officer last evening.